A Publication of WTVP

Sitcom Family Leaders
Which TV family do you most identify with? That was one of the questions posed to this year’s class of 40 Leaders. And topping the list? Why, the Huxtables of the ever-popular Cosby Show, of course. “We don’t have a big family like [them],” explained Dr. Amanda Wright, “but there is always laughter in our home.” Bethany O’Brien identified with the Huxtables as well, noting that she also has “a doctor-lawyer family.”

The Bradys, Simpsons, Cleavers (Leave It to Beaver) and Keatons (Family Ties) were close runners-up, as was the Pritchett family of ABC’s Modern Family. Teresa Lynch said her family is most like the Bluths of Arrested Development: “Although we don’t boast any illegal business transactions, we do live in a state of constant hilarity, chaos and peculiarity.” Some leaders couldn’t pick just one. Bob Gates described his household as “The Keaton family meets the Seaver family (Growing Pains), living next door to the characters from the cast of Modern Family.” It seems that everyone has a sitcom family—or two or three—that they relate to.


Telling Tweets
A recent Cornell University study offers a fascinating look into the emotional psyche of the planet via text analysis of Twitter messages. Analyzing tweets from more than two million people in 84 countries, researchers discovered patterns that suggest an underlying biological rhythm to our moods that transcends geographic location, cultural differences and the changing seasons.


Workplace Weeping
If you’ve ever snuck into a bathroom stall at work for a covert cry, you aren’t alone. According to a survey of 700 men and women by Anne Kreamer, author of It’s Always Personal, 41 percent of women and nine percent of men admitted to shedding tears at the office. But questions remain.

The survey reveals that stress from home spilling over into work occupied the top spot for both sexes. Coming in second, women attribute a good cry to feeling overwhelmed, while men write it off as the result of a rude customer or client. At number three, women place being yelled at or snapped on, while men cite being unfairly blamed or criticized. Sick family members placed fourth for women, while the family crises of co-workers came in fourth for men. Finally, being unfairly blamed for something ranked fifth for women, while men ascribe their untimely tears to negative performance reviews.

Interestingly, 48 percent of the surveyed men believe that crying at work is acceptable, while just 41 percent of the women agreed. Forty-three percent of women regarded workplace weepers as “unstable” while just 32 percent of men share that opinion. Despite these diverging views, 88 percent suggested that emotional sensitivity is a beneficial workplace asset. To find out your emotional style at work, take the short survey at annekreamer.com/its-always-personal/weep-survey. iBi

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